Projector lamp housing and cooling system therefor



Demy 14, 194:3.l o, R, NEMETH 2,456,530

PROJECTOR LAMP HOUSING AND COOLING SYSTEM THEREFOR Filed May 22, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet, l

jfl/10H2 gy.

Dec. 1.4, 1948. o. R. NEMETl-lv 2,456,530

4 l PROJECTOR LAMP HOUSING AND COOLING SYSTEM THEREFOR 4 Filed May 22, 19,44 s sheets-sheet 2' g I s l@ 62 55 f 57 5l 52 50 50 /8 7 4/ OO'Nem/QZ O. R. NEMETH Dec. 14, 1948. i

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 22, 1944 P W fm period.

projector. Y, y Another object-resides inwthke vnoyel;r compact, Y low cost l construction of the: lamp housing.

" of drawings inwhich: n

' Figureyl is a side elevational Viewl 'of-,a projec- Patented Dec. 14, 1948 s forties otto R;Nenieu;.chicag;.111 applicati@ May 22, i944,seriarNo-isscl'zzs This inventionirelates toaimprovements inprojectors i and :more particularly concerns 4a :novel i l :lamp housing:structureiandy ooolingfsystemafthere- :fior especiallyiwell adaptedufo'r.;` though nottneces- '..sarily .limited tori-use inifproj'ection machines of i the type A 'known' asf "strip` lfilm'Y projectors or;r slide projectorsl by whichstillliimagesare throwrrupon afscreen.

An important aspect ofthe-present 'inventiona resides in animprovedcoolingvsystem-forprojec Ators byWhich-the-heat ofthe-projection lamp is dissipated with'utmostfeiiiciency so that the'projector will remaincoolfthroughout "the, operating ermong thefobjects is to 'provide "anovel' method ofand means forzeiecting' cooling in thelamp housing of 'aprojeeton Anotherolo'ject is t'o provide nimproved .means for effecting an unusually"efficient,iivellldistrilon, l .tilted circulation" of cooling' air through the .lamp

housing and/associated structure of `a.projector. Another object is to provide novelsuctonftype ventilatingfsysteml forilth'e Flamp,housing.. of a Still. .anotherobject is to provider an improved 'construction `Vwhereby all-fwalls; offfthe-v projection lhousing Which fwould-f normally #ben-'heatedI by radiation oriconvectionare maintainedfsafely and comfortably cool byitheipositive sweep of .cooling air. Consequently thetwalls ofith'ev lamohousing,

` eveny though fully exposed to contact'bytheperson operating the'proj'ectoLfmay bev-constructezi''fromr 'a relativelyxthin" sheen-)metall Without'v any1 danger oi. becoming;rndangerously orvuncomiortably heated, although the-' structure is Av"entirely" -ree from heat dissipatirig ns or"-otherisuclr-mechanical heatdissipatging"expediente Other objects, featured and-advantages of the invention 'Will l'be' 'apparent'N from "theJL following description 'and the 'accompanying' three' sheets tor .embodying:the"features of the invention.

" Fig. `2 is a fragmentary)topplaneyiew ofithe projector, partly inl section, particulanlydesigned to slfiovv.- the lampi-housing'y structure. Fig. 3 .is a fragmentarylsectionalqand sideelevvationaL-\v.ieW-, on zar/largerl f scale; cfa-thel lamp f housing fand associatedffilmfgate structure.

- Fig; 4 isa horizontal sectional view ltakemalong.

. .lm projectiom'but convertible to use i with trans- Qffabric-covered-.vvood4k orethef like -supporting a f3'tClaims. (Cl SSL-4,24)

,lfig. .5 isv n a verticali sectional@ vievvftakenl fsubstantially alongline 5ft-a5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a perspectiveassemblyI ViewA oft the f lam-phousin'g of the projectorWithicertainwparts omitted ion. clarity,`v ot i illustration.

Referring toFigs.,-f1andf2, aproj ector I0 which .,mayfbe oli-the type primarily adapted for strip @parencies ori-slides; :may-comprise 4case IIA of l .vertical mounting .plate or panel I2- Which-car- Y. .ries all or lmost. of-v the operating. mechanisms of the projector -and, closes off achamber 12a Within thecase. L.Amongjthe.ieatu1es of the panel-sup- .portedmechanismrare included an objective sup- Yported within a'holusinl I3, afilm magazine structure includingupper and lower chambersV I4 and IXrespectively, `aiilmfgate structure I'I., and a condenser lens unit'.I lThe objectivegth. film "gate", andtheicondensr lens .unit are in projec- .tionalig'nrnent one "with the otherfa'nd ywith a theco'ndenser lens unit to provide clearance for if aiiinterpo'sed projection`i1luminantsuch as a lamp' 20;" Removably.andadjustably.supporting the ylamp 2i! is a -sp'lit clamp 2.Icarried by the .mounting platIZKFigs. 3., 4, and 5)I'..,Electrica1 "energy'iforftheprojection lamp- 20 may be. suppliedthrough'af'cjable'22 .leading from the chambei 2o through an insulating gromme't'f 2?u Asecured in -the nioun'tingr plate I2below, the clamp .l 2 l "According tothe"invention,v animprove'd lamp i lriousingr 24 enclosesthe condenser 'lens unit' I8, the

'reiiector 'i unit .I 9i, and.; the' projection lamp=` 20. "For'con'venience ingaining 'access to the interior of"the"housing,"particularlyfor;rep1acing or adj'usting the lampg the housing 24 ispreferably L"6"constructed in'tvvoiprincipal sections comprisingr 4an'iain orxedsection 25 anda cover section' 21' AL'(llig'. 6);. Bothfsec=tion's;may be economically and effectively"constructed" of'suitable gauge sheet metal, With the various parts'required tobe se- 45' Acured together'r preferably being 'spot welded.

MVLThewmain'section"25,"corr1prises a front Wall l-"fpa-nel"28,al rearwall panel `29, and a bottom @-Wallspanel 3th*AllofA these 'panels may have :'finteg'rai right' angular 1flanges 31- bearing against 50i-and' secured to the mountingj'plate'" I2.".`.Along ftheir upperedges the `fronty and'rear wall ^panels Zwan'd? 29=have`f gintur'ned horizontal reenforcing partof the film gate'structure l1.

the cover section 21 in overlapping relation. For this purpose the cover sec-tion 21 comprises a simple inverted L-shaped panel member having a relatively short top panel 34 and a right angularly related longer side panel 35 effective to close completely the top and side openings of the hous-` ing. Means for securing the cover section 21 in place on the seat flanges may comprise knurlheaded screws 31 the shanks of which are adapted to extend through apertures 38 in the side panel 35 and threadedly engage in tapped screw holes 39 in the vertical seating flanges 33. Thus; the cover section 21 can be quickly secured in place or removed, and when removed substantially en'- tirely exposes the interior of the housing both at the outer side and at the top. rThis arrangement substantially facilitates inserti-on or removal of the projection lamp 2E which can thus be conveniently approached from the side and manipulated vertically with respect to the sup porting clamp 2|, Also facilitated is the mounting or adjustment of the condenser lens unit I8 and the reflector unitV I9. f

Within the front wall 28 of the housing is formed an appropriately dimensioned projection -opening 45 enclosed at the outer or front :face` of the panel 23 by a supporting frame 4I forming In a preferred arrangement, the frame 4l is mounted upon the frontl wall 28 and in unitary fashion supports the other elements of the film gatel as well as the film magazine chambers i4 and l5. The front wall ofv the frame 4i has a projection opening 4-2 in front oi which is mounted a separable pair of iilrn gate plates 43 for holding a lm strip ,44 flat and stationary with relation to the projection axis "oi the machine during a projection interval. A

film sprocket i5 is carried by the frame 4l and projects peripherally through a sprocket aperture le below the projection opening 42 into engagement with the film stripllll for intermittently advancing' the nlm strip. For additional details of the lm gate structure i 1 reference'may be had to my co-pending application, Serial Number 536,720, led May 22, 1944.

During operation, the projection lamp 20 generates intense heat, which would be transferred by radiation and convectionv to the walls of the lamp housing Eil,v andy render the same'searingly hot,` in the absence of means' for preventing accumulation of and dissipating the heat. However, ac-` cording to the present invention substantially all internal surface areas .of the housing .which would be heated Yby radiation or convection are shielded, yand improved circulation lof cooling air` carries oil the heat continuously during operation of the lamp. In practice, it has been `found that the heat is disposed of with such efficiency that the external temperature of the lamp housing 24 the cover 21V is an inverted L-shaped shield plate 5G .having a short leg panel in spaced parallel relation to the top panel 34 and a longer 'leg panel' `4 in spaced parallel relation to the larger side panel portion 35 of the cover.

Theshield plates 41, 48, and 49 are appropriately flanged and secured permanently in place against the wall panel flanges 3l and 32, as the case may be, to form with the wall panels closed air spaces 41a, 48a, and 49a, respectively, adapted to take advantage of .the insulating value of confined air. These air spaces. are entirely closed with respect to the interior of the lamp housing at the top and sides, even the air space d8a, being closed at the top by a closure ange 48D-, but are presently appear.

' marginal L-shaped'iiange structure 50h by which it is secured tothe top and side panel portions 34 andV 3540i the cover 21 to close off the air spa-ce 50a entirely from the interior of the housing except at the bottom where an open mouth is provided which in assembly is preferably disposed in the same horizontal plane as the mouths of the air spaces 48a and 49a.

- vertical panel of the shield plate 50.

Strong bracing and reenforcement of the lamp housing shell results from the manner in which l the several shield plates cooperate withthe contiguous parts of the housing. The cover 21, in particular, benefits from the reenforcement since this maintains the top and side panels 34 and 35 against distortion and assures a permanent proper angular relationship thereof in spite of handling which might otherwise cause them to `be bent vout oftrue.

'Additional or supplementary heat shielding meansin the form of an inwardly opening vertically elongated channel or vvU-shaped sheet metal member 5l is mounted through the medium of attachment brackets 52 with its web invspaced parallel relation to the inner face of Athe longer The shield 5l is of suchy length andfdepth and is mounted at such a rheight as to surround the lamp 20 in substantially `uniformlyespaced relations at'the front, Arear 'and outer sidesand define a vertical iiue about the'lamp. Since the shield 5l is spaced from the supporting `shield plate 56 and, in assembly, from the adjacent elementA of the condenser lens unit land the shield plate 41 as wellas from the shield plate 49,- vertical intervening flue spaces are provided which tend to facilitate and accelerate upward convectional movement of cooling air during operation of the lamp. Air deecting anges 53formed in respectively forwardly and rearwardly flaring relation along the lower margins of the inwardly extending wings of the shield 5l have the effect of .funneling upwardly traveling cooling `air into the air ilue formed about the lamp Zilby'vY the shield member.

Axially alignedcut-outs 54'in the wings of the shield 5| are coaxial with the projection axis ci the condenser lenses of. theunit I8 andthe ref lector ofthe unit |`9 to 'permit passage of theprojection light beam. By having the rearedges of the wingsof the shield 5I located relatively close to the adjacentfaceofY the mounting plate l2 in the assembled condition of theapparatus, and by the relatively close cooperation of the adjacent element of the 'condenser lens unit `I8 adjacent to the front cut-out 54 providing a substantial assenso though non-contactingclosure :for suon cut-out whiley the reflector unit; I5. similarly'cooperates: to providev a closurev ior the rear cut-'out 54;,theue about the lamp 2,0 is. of'. such. character asy vto promote: a rather vigorousy cooling.- iil'owy of. air sweeping; upwardly.'4 about therlanipy 20m/'hilo sub1--l stantiallyr preventing. lateral@A ingress, on cold. air to contact the projection lamp..

Heat dissipating circula-tion ofxcocling air within the-.housing 2111 is1stimulat'edlby aturbo-blower 55 which is disposed to withdraw heated. air' from the` housing through a concentrici suction port 51 in the mounting plate I2-4 adjacent to the top ofthe air flue denediby thelampvshieldV 5 I... Asbest seeny in Figs. 3- and 5 disposition ot' the suction portl Eil. is. such. with. relationl not only to'y the tcp of the flue surrounding the lamp 20'- but also to the flue spaces about the s-hi'eldEI as to accomplish the most effective Withdrawal? of air ai-ter maximum heat transfer to theair. The blower 55 is driven byf amotor' 581 through the medium of ashaft 59 andi is mounted within a b'l'owerhousing li'- associatedwith or' mounted upon the-innerface-ofthe mounting-plate I-2 and having a grilleprotectedexhaust'port 6I' opening through therear wall of the cas-ing I 'I.

In a largemeasure, the effectiveness of cooling according to the present invention accrues from intensiveexploitation' of the heat insulating value oi layers of air andthe heat absorbing potentialities of coldl and expanding air sweeping the surfaces to bev cooled. Tothis end, air at atmosphericV temperature-is drawn into the lamp housing 2f and caused-to-travel acircuitous path', sweeping in heat abstracting relation through the zone of potentially highesttemperatureaplurality of times. Asthe temperature' of the air andy consequently itsvolume'increa'se'in its cooling; sweep; I cause thevelocity-ofthe-k air to accelerate substantially over the rate at which it would normally travel due toiconvectionalone. Furthermore, the cold or atmospheric air is caused-l to-sweep first the internal housing wall area whichis potentially liable to thevmost severe overheating' because of proximity to the major'heat zoneV off the lamp.y At the same time, the onwardly moving cold air is connedto aA layer intervening as an insulation between the heat source, and the housing wall area. After the cooling air has moved on beyond the majcr'heat zone, its flow is reversedto traverse the major heat zone again` and -serveas a live heat-insulating layer intervening between the heat source andthe housing wall area as well as between the heat source and the layer ofr newly indrawn air sweeping such Wall area. A-s a result, the housing is maintained unusuallyl andv uniformly cool. i,

In carrying out my method,. important advantages accrue from the large suction capacity of the. turbo-blower 55'by the actionkof whichffresh cooling air from the exterior of. the lampfhousing isV` drawn in to sweep downwardly throughtheair spaces vlila 48a, 49a, and`5IJal to issue through the mouths at the bottom of the air spaces. For this purpose a series of inlet air ports 62 is provided in the forward wall panel 28 adjacent to the top of the air space 41a, a series of air intake ports 63 adjacent to the top of the air space 48a, and a numerous series of air intake ports 64 is provided in the rear wall panel 29 adjacent to the top of the air space 49a. A series of air inlet ports 65 provided in the top panel 34 of the closure 21 permits iresh cold air to be drawn into the air space 50a. By having the majority of air intake ports adjacent to or at the top of the lamp. housing;` the'b fresh cool'. air is-i drawn in to: sweepv first what'. would normally be the hottest portiomof the lamp.- housing. Then as theair travelsdown through thevarious air ducts it expands under the dual? eilects ot rising tempenaturefL and suction: andi uniformly abstracts the ambient lamp-generated heat from the' shield platesy 451i, 58j 49, and; 502 while atthe same time providing' an. insulating air laver in the fla-t air ductsa; .f It may: also be remarked that ybyliaving the pre-- heated? air thatI issues from the intake air ducts 48m, y49a',andffllw entery theinai'nl chamber ofthe lamp-housing well below the active'y glass-enclosed portion of thelam-p 2to-sweepand cool the base of the: lamp before` sweeping the activeportion of the lamp, the air will be sufficiently preheated to avoid unduefor damaging chilling of the lamp. Furthermoreytheair comes in f-iomthe' ducts in suona unitormlydistributed:manner all about the base of the lamp that' the lamp is at all' times completely enveloped by a substantially uniform volume, as well'. as uniformly-tempered cooling air; Thenumber andl size-of the several series of inletair'ports-is; of" course, so calculated: as to admit the proper amount of air into-each of the respective air ducts for attainment of4V optimum uniiormityf andi eiiiciency of results.

As the air leaves the mouths of the ducts Alta, 49aI andi 50a' it abruptly4 reverses direction and sweepsupwardly through the flue spaces sur'- rounding the lamp 243-, carrying on ambient heat from the inner surfaces of the shield plates $31, 49, and 50` andV all surf-aces of theshi'eld member 5t'. A-t the same time the upwardly moving air provides insulatingan layers in the flue spaces.

Inasmuch as aA substantial amount of heat is- [concentrated` in the projection light beam created bythe reflector I9y and the condenser lens unit I8' theA construction and: arrangement ispreferably such' that the suction created by blower fan '55 also creates cooling air iiow through the lm- 'gate'A structure I1 and through the condensery lens unit IB; Accordingly; cold' or atmospheric air isA adapted to be drawn in past and sweeping, the lm gate plates 43 andthe lm strip, throughl the projection opening 42 in the illm'gate frame 4l" as well as through enlargements of such opening at cutbacks. 678'. Cool air is also adapted to be drawn in through the sprocket aperture 46 to cool the sprocket and the adjacent' portions of the lm strip 44. The cool'. air thus drawnv in throughl the lm gate structure, enters the lamp housing through the projection opening 4U, whichmay be larger than actually required` for the projection. beam, particularlyY below the.4 condenser lens unit IB. Cool air entering through. the sprocket, aperture; 46 will be drawn upwardly to sweepthroughy the condenser lens unit to combine withLA the` air which otherwise passes. through the projection opening 4R. In` addition, of course, the cooling air which travels upwardly from the inlet duct 48a and the air'issuing from the mouth of the inlet duct 41a sweeps the condenser lenses. The combined volume of cooling air, adequately pre-heated by the projection beam as well as various heated parts of the apparatus, acts effectively to maintain the condenser lenses adequately cool but free from detrimental temperature variations and thus unequal expansion, thus avoiding danger of cracked lenses.

Ventilation of the interior chamber I2a of the casing I I is adapted to result from the withdrawal of air through an opening 69 in the mounting plate 2 at the projection opening l0. The air issuing from the ventilation opening 69 assists in regulating the temperature of the air which sweeps into the lamp housing -through the projection opening 40.

In order to assure that the motor 58 will operate to drive the suction blower 55 Whenever'and at all times that the lamp 20 is in operation, the electrical circuits connecting the motor and the blower to the source of electrical energy are preferably integrated through the medium of a common master switch l0. Thus, when the switch 'l0 is closed parallel electrical energizing circuits for the blower 55 and the motor 58 are completed simultaneously. Likewise, stopping of the motor also results in opening of the lamp circuit.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that this invention provides for unusually eicient and complete ventilation and cooling of the lamp housing as well as the associated condenser lens and lrn gate structures. advantages accruing from this may be mentioned that the lamp housing may be constructed from relatively thin and light weight sheet material, the condensing lens unit may be mounted unusually close to the projection lamp, and heat and light shields as well as the housing walls can also be disposed relatively close to the lamp. Thus, the entire construction can be made quite compact. It has been found in practice that .as a result of the high cooling efliciency of the present system in a typical installation, a person may at any time during the operation of the projector safely place and hold his hand on any external area of the lamp housing which will actually feel only comfortably warm.

Although the specific projector l selected for the illustrative environment of the invention herein is of the type used in projecting still pictures, this should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention because many, if not all, features of the invention are applicable as Well to motion picture projectors in which such features have been used and found quite effective in practice.

The expression lamp as used in the claims is intended to convey .a generic meaning equivalent to and merely a short term for illuminant whether incandescent lamp, arc light, or other medium.

While I have illustrated and described a certain preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit my invention to the specific form disclosed, but contemplate that various modifications, substitutions, and yalternative constructions may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as dened in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In combination in a projector lamp housing, external walls surrounding a space to be Among the several structure in communication with theA innerends of said air ducts, and means for creating forced f circulation of air from atmosphere downwardly through the air ducts and thereafter upwardly through said air flues, thus providing three insulating and cooling layers of moving air Ibetween the lamp and the exterior Walls.

2. Arlamp housing construction including wall portions adapted to be xedly secured relative toa supporting structure in a picture projector, said'wall portions defining an opening of suflicient size to enable entrance into and out of the housing for a projection lamp adapted to be located substantially centrally within the housing, an.

openable closure structure for closing said opening, heat shielding Wall panels carried by said Wall portions and by said closure structure, respectively, and providing cooling air ducts, and additional heat shielding means mounted in spaced relation to the heat shielding wall panel on the closure structure, and adapted for relativelyclose shielding approach to the lamp, said additional shielding means cooperating with said heat lshielding wall panels to form interior air flues,.fand means for creating forced circulation of airdownwardly through said ducts and then upwardly through said interior nues successively. 3.r A lamp housing as dened in claim 2 wherein said additional heat shielding means includes as :an active part thereof a reflector structure located behind the projection lamp for throwing light rays therefrom in the direction of the projection light'beam to be created by the lamp.

OTTO R. NEMETH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,160,764 Robinson et a1 Nov. 16, 1915 1,925,149 McCandless Sept. 5, 1933 1,966,531 Tint July 17, 1934 2,135,996 Wood Nov 8, 1938 2,160,890 Mulch June6, 1939 2,269,794 Stechbart Jan. 13, 1942 2,281,988 Osterberg et al ,May 5, 1942 2,344,263 Perkins Mar. 14, 1944 

